


rooftop serenade

by likewinning



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comment Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 19:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2594159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likewinning/pseuds/likewinning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for comment fic, for the prompt "first date." <em>Everyone's got an ex. Some people Facebook stalk, some people hang out on rooftops.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	rooftop serenade

"This is _my_ rooftop." 

Bucky doesn't jump at the sound. He's sure the guy thinks he was being quiet, but Bucky's got a couple years (decades, technically) and a lot more training on him. He's quiet, but not quiet enough. 

"I don't see your name on it," Bucky says. He's watching the guy halfway, in case he tries something, but mostly he's looking out, because from here he can see - 

"Ha," the guy says. "That's because it's _dark_ , genius. If it wasn't, you could see 'Jason Todd' in big bright letters." 

Bucky doesn't tell the guy he'd be able to see just fine. He doesn't say much at _all_ , really. He's waiting here, same as he does every night, to see - 

He's not ready to come back. Not ready to _talk_ to Steve, and be that. Person he's looking for. 

But he likes - needs - to check on him, from here, just to know he's all right. 

"Where's your mask?" 

And that - does surprise Bucky, a little. Metal arm or no, no one usually _recognizes_ him. That's the whole point of being a ghost. "What?" he asks. 

It's dark, but he still sees the guy roll his eyes. He points to the mask over his eyes, black and angular and quite a bit like the one Bucky used to wear as the Winter Soldier, then gestures to the red helmet in his hand. "You know, your mask? Protect your identity and all that shit?" 

The last thing Bucky needs these days, he thinks, is to protect his identity. He can barely figure it out _himself_. The guy - Jason - gives him a look as if to say _are you **new**?_ He feels his mouth twitch into a little smirk. "You already told me yours," Bucky points out. 

"Yeah," Jason says. Even under the mask, a little something flickers in his expression. "But legally I'm dead already, so who gives a shit?" 

And Bucky's - been there, living that, really. "I'm not -" he says. He runs his hand through his hair. The guy moves closer, and Bucky gets a closer look at the guns on his hips, the jacket that probably holds all sorts of other implements of destruction. 

Two walking arsenals on one rooftop. 

His hackles should be up, Bucky figures, but they're strangely - not. "You're not?" Jason prompts. He's looking at Bucky, too, taking in the arm, the stance, the muscled legs and torso. Assessing, comparing. Approving, if the nod is anything to go by. 

"I'm -" Bucky starts, but then stops again, because the lights go on across the street, and Bucky sees Steve moving through the apartment. Some nights Bucky stays just long enough to see the lights go on. Sometimes he stays long enough to watch Steve make dinner. 

Some nights, he stays until the lights go off again. 

"Ah," Jason says. "Not crime-fighting. _Stalking._ " 

When Bucky turns to glare at him, maybe shove him off the roof - he looks like he could probably take it and still get back up - Jason holds up his hands. "Hey, man, I get it. Everyone's got an ex. Some people Facebook stalk, some people hang out on rooftops." 

Which means it's Bucky's turn to raise his eyebrows like to say, _so who are **you** here for?_

"Oh, no, not me," Jason says, catching the look. "Not today, anyway. My ex banished me from the _city_." 

"Huh," Bucky says. Steve brought home takeout tonight. Must've been a rough day. He squints to see the boxes of food, squints to see if Steve has any bruises, any injuries, if he's walking funny or favoring one arm over the other. He knows he should just go, or go knock on Steve's door. Or come in through the fire escape like when they were kids. 

"We could get a drink," Jason says. 

"Huh?" Bucky asks, because all that intelligence fed to him doesn't make him any quicker on the draw when it comes to this guy. 

"You know," Jason explains. "Like with alcohol? Lowers inhibitions, dulls the senses - though I'm guessing you don't entirely need the first one." 

Bucky looks at him, fully, for the first time. "Trust me, I've got plenty of those." Like the ones stopping him from just going back. Like it's that easy. 

"Well, then -" Jason starts, but then there's a crash from down belong, ground level. They both move closer to the roof's edge, and sure enough there's a guy running off with what looks like a lady's purse. 

"Told you this was my rooftop," Jason says, but before Bucky can respond, Jason's leaping down, and it's not a two-person job, really, but Bucky - follows. 

They tackle the mugger to the ground in seconds. Jason apparently carries around some kind of restraints, but when Bucky gives him a questioning look while Jason dials the cops to come pick up the guy, Jason just grins and says, "More of a second date kind of thing." 

Bucky goes back to the woman to return her purse and check that she's okay. She's shaking, and her eyes widen at Bucky's appearance, but otherwise she'll be fine. Bucky offers to walk her home, but she says, "No, no, that's - is _he_ okay?" 

Well. When Bucky looks over, Jason's still - wailing on the mugger a bit. Christ. He moves back over, grabs Jason by the arm and starts to drag him away. "We're done here," Bucky says. His grip on Jason's arm is tight, and Jason struggles, but seems more amused than surprised that he can't break the hold. 

"You takin' me for that drink now?" Jason asks. The tilt of his grin reminds Bucky of - something, and he lets Jason go. 

"Not this time," Bucky says. It's not - no. There's something about this guy that - 

"Right, yeah. You get drunk on the first date, and you sort of start a precedent, huh?" he asks. They walk beneath a streetlight, and with the better lighting Bucky can see that while the face beneath the mask looks young, twenties maybe, the eyes are - old. 

"It's not a -" Bucky starts, but Jason smirks, talks over him. "Next time, right? Same time, same rooftop." 

Bucky means to tell him no, to let him spy on Steve in peace, but - he finds himself smirking back. 

"Yeah," he says. "Next time."


End file.
